In this episode, Dr. Nicole Rambo and equine specialists Heather and Sarah discuss a concern regarding equine liver health. They explore a case involving a nine-year-old racehorse with elevated liver enzymes and whether a diet change is necessary. The discussion covers potential causes of liver issues in horses, including viruses, parasites, unknown origins, and dietary impacts. They emphasize the importance of appropriate training and diet, debunk common misconceptions about diet causing liver enzyme elevations, and suggest practical approaches for managing horses showing signs of liver stress. The podcast aims to inform horse owners and trainers about managing and preventing liver health issues in horses, with a focus on racehorses. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this episode, the discussion centers around 'emotional horse feeds' - horse feed ingredients that may cause horses to become hot, hyper, or excitable. Dr. Rambo explains how changes in diet, especially those involving sugar and starch, can significantly affect a horse's behavior. Exploring the reasons behind this, this podcast covers how diets high in sugar and starch can disrupt a horse's gut microbiota and potentially lead to digestive upset, resulting in what might be perceived as emotional behavior. Additionally, the episode debunks myths surrounding protein's impact on behavior and discusses the role of forage and the importance of low-starch and high-fat diets in moderating a horse's energy levels. The dialogue further addresses common misconceptions about feed ingredients, offering practical advice for owners seeking to manage their horses' diet for more stable behavior. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this episode, we discuss the critical aspects of caring for orphan foals. The focus is on the immediate nutritional needs following the loss of their mother, emphasizing the importance of colostrum in the first 12 to 24 hours of life, options for milk replacers, and strategies for managing feeding and socialization as they grow. The experts also touch on the hypothetical scenario of transitioning a mare that has lost its foal and address potential health issues, such as gastric ulcers in foals. They offer resources and support for breeders facing such challenges and encourage reaching out for personalized advice through various means provided by Tribute Equine Nutrition. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

This week, we feature a discussion between co-host Kim Brown and equine nutritionist Dr. Nicole Rambo on forage-based diets for horses. They explore what constitutes a forage-based diet, emphasizing that while forage should be the bulk of a horse's diet, it does not mean excluding other nutritional sources. Dr. Rambo addresses common misconceptions, the importance of balancing forage with other nutrients, and how to adapt diet plans for various scenarios like senior horses, drought conditions, or horses needing additional calories. They also discuss the role of ration balancers and specialized feeds in supplementing a forage-based diet, ensuring horses receive all necessary nutrients for optimal health and performance. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this episode of the Equine Connection podcast, Dr. Nicole Rambo and her team introduce a new horse feed from Tribute Equine Nutrition, Synergize™. This high-fat, low non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) blend is designed to increase the fat and fiber content in a horse's diet, while keeping low NSC levels. They contrast Synergize™ with Kalm Ultra®, another high-fat horse feed, highlighting Synergize™'s higher fiber and lower NSC content. The hosts discuss the benefits of Synergize™, including its gut health package, which is comprised of Equi-Ferm XL® (a pre and probiotic) and Constant Comfort® (seaweed-derived calcium for additional stomach support), making it suitable for horses needing more calories, horses with specific dietary concerns like PSSM type 1, or for maintaining efficient digestive health. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this episode of The Equine Connection Podcast, co-hosts Kim Brown and Dr. Nicole Rambo, an equine nutritionist, delve into the world of equine supplement blocks, focusing on salt, mineral, and supplement blocks available in feed stores. They discuss the importance of free-choice salt for horses and explain the differences between various colored salt blocks, including white, red, and blue, and the nutritional value of each. Emphasizing the need for simplicity and appropriateness when selecting supplement blocks for horses, Dr. Rambo introduces Tribute's unique supplement blocks designed specifically for horses, including the Grass Assist Block, the Fly Control Block, and the Constant Comfort Block. They provide tips for ensuring these blocks stay fresh and are placed strategically. The episode underscores the holistic approach to equine nutrition and offers practical advice for horse owners navigating supplement options. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this bonus Equine Connection Podcast episode, hosted by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition, the hosts discuss the recent departure of Hygain from the U.S. market. They delve into how this affects horse owners seeking alternative feeds and offer detailed recommendations and comparisons for substituting Hygain's popular products. The discussion includes specifics on feeds like Munga, High Gain Zero, Showtorque, Growtorque, Tru Breed, Meta Safe, and Hygain Release. The hosts emphasize Tribute's role in assisting horse owners through this transition, providing insights into equine dietary needs and the nuances of choosing the right feed. The episode offers guidance on contacting Tribute Equine Nutrition for personalized feeding plans, aiming to help horse owners navigate their feeding challenges with tailored solutions. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this week's podcast, an owner called and was worried about her 8-year-old Quarter Horse. The horse was receiving ample amounts of sweet feed, suffered from ulcers, and was a bit too energetic (spicy). Dr. Rambo and the equine experts from Tribute discuss this case, what they advised the owner, and update on how the horse is doing today. A topic for any horse owner.  You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this episode, cohosts Kim Brown and Dr. Nicole Rambo discuss ways to manage and prevent gastric ulcers in horses. They discuss the difference between drugs and supplements, where the latter is meant for prevention and ongoing support, while drugs address the disease. Dr. Rambo introduces common medications prescribed for ulcers and explains their effectiveness. They also discuss supplements, noting the importance of not relying on supplements alone and addressing other risk factors. They clarify the importance of forage in a horse's diet, the risk of sweet feeds, and the maximum meal sizes for horses. They touch on issues that can cause ulcers, such as stress, transportation, and herd dynamics. While acknowledging the complexity and range of factors influencing ulcer formation, the hosts underscore regular tuning into individual horses' situations and pursuing vet consultation whenever things seem off. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this week's podcast, we tackle a case study. An owner called and was worried that her yearling, Mikey. Mikey suddenly stopped eating his horse feed. The Tribute team takes you through the scenario and discussion with the horse's owner. Eventually, the cause is identified and resolved. Mikey is back to eating his feed and is healthy and happy. A fun episode on what equine nutritionists do day in and day out.  You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In this episode of the Equine Connection podcast, hosts Kim Brown and Dr. Nicole Rambo delve into the topic of equine health, specifically focusing on equine gastric ulcers. They discuss the different types of gastric ulcers that affect horses, how to identify signs of ulcers, and the various risk factors. The conversation covers early research focused on squamous disease, revealing that ulcers could occur in horses living in various conditions, from high-stress racing to tranquil pastures. They highlight the significance of management factors in mitigating ulcer risk, including forage availability, meal size, and stress reduction. Towards the end, they tease the next episode, promising to go deeper into the prevention and treatment of equine gastric ulcers. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

The introduction of pre- and probiotics to equine diets has provided multiple benefits to horses from all around the world. In this week's podcast, we focus on what exactly prebiotics are and how they work. Then we discuss probiotics, what they are and how they also work. The bottom line is, synergistically working together, pre- and probiotics help improve the digestive health of our horses. Thus, we talk about some of the research that has gone into these products, how they are currently being fed to our horses, and then also outline the benefits.  You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

It has always been said, "No Hoof, No Horse." We, as owners, are always caring for and concerned with our horse's hooves. While there are many factors that influence hoof health, nutrition plays a vital role. This week, we discuss this more in detail. First, we briefly touch on how hooves grow and what can impact their growth. We then discuss vital nutrients and how they help our horse's feet. Finally, we touch upon which nutrients to focus on and how a balanced diet can improve growth and function. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

The term "hard" keeper is used quite frequently by horse owners. Thus, in this week's podcast, we focus solely on the hard keeper and what that means as a horse owner. Hard keepers are horses that have difficulty in maintaining weight (body condition). We discuss some of the signs and how to identify if your horse is a hard keeper. We also chat about certain horse types that tend to be harder keepers. After discussing some concerns with hard keepers, we then offer some tips and advice on how best to approach your feeding plan for your hard keeper.  As mentioned in the podcast, we were listed as a Top 10 Horse Podcast on FeedSpot. You can access the list HERE You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Horse owners may be alarmed when witnessing a horse start to eat either its own manure, or even manure from another horse. Typically, this is seen in foals and other young horses, and we talk about why they may exhibit this behavior. There is even some evidence that manure eating is beneficial to young horses, and we briefly touch upon that. Then, we switch the discussion of what to do when this behavior is observed in adult horses. Owners should be aware of the underlying causes of why an adult horse may begin to eat manure, and then we give some management tips on how to alleviate these causes. We also talk about some of the health concerns with horses that eat manure and what you can do to protect your horse.  You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM) is a genetic disease affecting many breeds of horses. There are two identified types of PSSM: PSSM Type 1 and PSSM Type 2. In this week's podcast, we focus in on PSSM Type 1. During the podcast, we discuss what PSSM is and how Type 1 is identifiable in horses. We address which horses are at risk of this genetic disease and what it means to their health. Diet is a major factor in reducing the severity of PSSM and thus, we give tips on how best to manage them. We also talk about other ways owners can help reduce the severity of this disease. The bottom line is, with careful management, PSSM horses can and do live healthy and happy lives.  PSSM does differ from another common genetic disorder, Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP), which we covered in another podcast episode that can be found HERE You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

Horses are unique amongst many other large herbivores, like cattle, sheep, and even deer. Rather, horses and their cousins (donkeys, zebras and other equids), are part of a smaller group known as "hindgut" fermenters. This week, we discuss the horse's digestive tract. We start at the teeth and go all the way through, giving highlights to each structure and what makes horses so unique. This is important, as it makes understanding all the many recommendations given to owners regarding equine nutrition easier to understand. You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

In days gone by, it was not uncommon to warm up some water and mix it with some bran to make a nice, warm mash for your horse. Many believed it helped warm their horses during a cold winter's night. Others believed a bran mash had a nice laxative effect and aided their horse's digestion. In this week's podcast, we highlight why feeding bran or making a bran mash may not be such a good idea for your horse. We highlight what exactly bran is, what nutrients it has and why it may be a bad idea, even as a treat. We offer other alternatives that are better and healthier treats for your horse and how you can help them better during those cold winter nights.  You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

This week we focus on the broodmare and discuss why she requires special care and attention. Broodmares are especially interesting because they go through so many tremendous changes through gestation and then immediately following parturition. During gestation, broodmares require careful management as they provide critical nutrients to the foal. We specially focus on why owners need to be careful on what they are feeding as it has major implications on offspring wellbeing. Then once she has given birth, her nutritional demands dramatically increase as she shifts to lactation. Therefore, we discuss feeding strategies on how to help her through post pregnancy and support her as she provides important milk for her foal. Finally, as the goal for most broodmare operations is to get the mare rebred and pregnant for the following year, we highlight some important considerations for owners to consider.  You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition

You may have heard the term "hay belly" used to describe a horse that looks obese, but isn't. Many do not quite know what hay belly really is. Thus, in this week's podcast we talk about hay belly and tell you exactly what this condition is and how to identify it. We then go on to describe which types of horses may be prone to experiencing hay belly and what the underlying causes are. Prevention is the best cure, so we give some tips on how to avoid this condition. We then finish off the podcast giving advice on how to alleviate hay belly if your horse is experiencing it.  You can learn more about these topics by visiting our expertise page HERE If you have any questions or concerns about your own horse, please contact us HERE This podcast was brought to you by Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition